Pakistan Hails Success of Tribal Peace Deals

The government of Pakistan says last week's clashes between tribesman and foreign militants shows that its strategy of using local tribal groups to drive out extremists is working.

Uzbek and Chechen militants fought pro-Taleban tribesman in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, close to the border with Afghanistan. About 160 people were killed, 130 of them Uzbek and Chechen fighters.

A cease-fire is now in place.

Despite Pakistan's claim of success, tribesmen who fought the Uzbek and Chechen militants say they will continue their jihad (holy war) by launching cross-border attacks against foreign forces serving with NATO in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has been criticized for deals it signed with tribal leaders in North and South Waziristan in an effort to clear the remote area of al-Qaida linked extremists. NATO and U.S. officials say that attacks in Afghanistan have increased since the pacts went into effect.